Your exalted gods and goddesses have for months noted an increase in spawncamping complaints which seem, 7 times out of 10, bunk. This may be due to more of our players simply not understanding the spawncamping rule or what camping is. For their benefit (and to allow our brain cells time to recover), this is our cast-in-stone, not-to-be-debated-so-don't-bother ruling that's been in effect forever:

==============================Core definition: Any player seen loitering around their enemy's spawn following the traditional mapstart siege* with intent to murder emerging players is in violation.

Secondary definition: Snipers who snipe from within the protective shield of their spawn door are in violation of the spawncamping rule.==============================

We keep our rule simple for a reason: It covers most any situation as it is. But some people still ask for clarification. For them and our lovely new folk in TFP, we have an FAQ.

Frequently-Asked Questions:

Q: *What is the traditional mapstart siege?A: RED's suppression attempts of BLU immediately after setup ends. IT IS BLU'S DUTY TO DESTROY THIS SIEGE AND PUSH RED BACK FROM THEIR AREA. IF THEY FAIL TO DO THIS AND RED REMAINS IT IS NOT SPAWNCAMPING. Once RED is pushed back, usually past their first point, they can consider the siege broken. This is natural game flow in TF2.

Q: That sniper shot me from inside his spawn door! Can I camp him?A: No and Yes: You may NOT wait (camp) at the door for him, but you ARE allowed to go and kill him at that door and then leave. Snipers who use their spawn as a shield are not protected by the policy (and they are breaking the rule themselves); it's unfair.

Q: Can I snipe people as they leave their spawn?A: If you are not sieging, no. Do so and you will get a warning not to. A second warning is removal from the server.

Q: Can I sticky enemy spawn doors?A: If you are not sieging, no. You may not impede a team's ability to leave their spawn.

Q: Can I place a sentry at enemy spawn doors? How about Mini sentries?A: If you are not sieging, no. You may not impede a team's ability to leave their spawn. Your sentry's range must not intersect the door; we will ask you to please move it; if you don't, we will remove it via removing you.

Q: But they have multiple spawn doors! It's not camping if they can go somewhere else right?A: The number of spawn exits a team has DOES NOT MATTER. You are still killing people who leave a door.

Q: That Medic/Demoman/Soldier/Heavy/Pyro pair is placing stickies/aiming on our respawn room door while a spy waits cloaked beside it. Are they camping?A: All of them are camping and in violation.

Q: How do I deal with a genuine camper?A: Warn them that they are spawncamping and it's against the rules, kill them if you can. If they persist, notify a mod or staffer via Steam and/or TFP group chat. Please get as much information as possible (name, location of camping, the server it happens on, steam or community ID, who they killed and how, etc.) up front; time is of the essence in catching a camper in the act and we do NOT punish people without evidence after the fact.

Q: The Demoman/Soldier/Medic is running away, but still firing at us while we're attacking him from spawn! Bloody Camper?A: No. People are allowed to defend themselves while leaving your area or capturing a point next to the spawn.

Q: That Pyro/Heavy-Medic/Spy just went past the spawn and killed someone as he did. He's a CAMPER RIGHT?!A: Chill, homes. That is not camping. To CAMP is to stay at a place with intent to kill.

Q: That Pyro rushed our spawn on Nucleus! Spawncamper, amirite?A: No. You are not protected and unkillable by actively using spawn doors. This is DOUBLY so for Snipers. If someone kills you at your spawn door (the exit you leave from the respawn room) and STAYS for more kills, or frequently revisits to kill constantly, they are CAMPING and in violation. Do your thing and gtfo.

Q: Can I destroy teleporters at a spawn?A: Yeah, knock yourself out. You simply cannot camp a spawn. Do your thing and gtfo.

Q: The enemy came to the spawn and killed me and my sentry/dispenser/teleporter there! He was camping right?A: No. You had killable hardware there and were using your spawn as an insta-dispenser.

Q: Stop stickying and putting sentries at the middle-area exit doors on Turbine! Why are you spawncamping?! (Actual complaint)A: Everyone in this server is now dumber for hearing you say that. You are awarded no points.

We hope this helps educate and inform. Have fun out there! Remember, it's up to us to keep sportsmanship alive in TF2.

Either make a demo of the phenomenon (write record "DEMONAME" in console ) and take the Spawncampers' SteamID or try to contact some other admins.The first method should be the most efficient though, depending on the situation